Articles on Current News About the Columbia River:
http://www.revelstokereview.com/news/388184682.html
This article talks about how industrial areas and municipalities along the river are affecting (or have the potential to affect) the health of the water. Roads and highways have destructed habitats, and pollution from these industrial areas. The article stresses that it’s much more cost effective to protect local ecosystems rather than ignore them and have to pay for larger restoration projects later.
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/jun/18/columbia-river-salmon-plan-challenged/
This article discusses the importance of balancing the use of hydroelectric dams with protection of salmon in the Columbia River. For more information about dams, see the "Major Dams and Diversions" page of this site.
This article talks about how industrial areas and municipalities along the river are affecting (or have the potential to affect) the health of the water. Roads and highways have destructed habitats, and pollution from these industrial areas. The article stresses that it’s much more cost effective to protect local ecosystems rather than ignore them and have to pay for larger restoration projects later.
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/jun/18/columbia-river-salmon-plan-challenged/
This article discusses the importance of balancing the use of hydroelectric dams with protection of salmon in the Columbia River. For more information about dams, see the "Major Dams and Diversions" page of this site.
Current Concerns:
1. Helping fish over dams
- The migrating of salmon has been greatly impacted by building and placement of dams.
2. Toxic pollutants
- Recent studies show that the river has been laced with toxic pollutants. It is impossible to get the population of salmon up if the pollutants are just going to kill them off again.
3. Hatcheries and funding
- "Lumley says debates over the difference between hatchery and wild fish are leaving their mark in Congress and threatening future funding for hatcheries (a vital lifeline for salmon fisheries throughout the basin and in the ocean)" (OPB FM).
4. Catching and keeping wild fish
- "“Mass marking” is a practice that shapes non-tribal fisheries in the basin. Many state and federal hatcheries mark their fish by removing the adipose fin so that later fishermen can tell which fish they can keep (the hatchery fish) and which ones they should release (the wild ones)" (OPB FM).
5. Killing and predators
- Sea lions, double-crested cormerants and Caspian are all predeators to the wild salmon. These three species, three of mamy, have taken a large bite out of the salmon population.
6. Climate change
- "A warmer climate that melts glaciers and reduces snow pack in the mountains would change water flows and stream temperatures for fish that need cold water in the Columbia Basin tributaries to survive" (OPB FM).
7. Sharing water with Canada
- "The Columbia River Treaty is a major agreement between the U.S. and Canada was originally struck to help manage water storage for flood control and hydropower generation. Canada provides key storage capacity near the headwaters of the Columbia that allow water and dam managers to control water levels throughout the basin" (OPB FM).
8. Taking (some) salmon off the endangered list
- A top priority several tribal representatives have brought up is this issue. The species has been bumped up higher on lists of decreasing wildlife and is now being looked at as a top priority.
9. Full recovery (200 years from now)
- It may take up to 200 years (!) for the river to fully recover Columbia River salmon runs.
- The migrating of salmon has been greatly impacted by building and placement of dams.
2. Toxic pollutants
- Recent studies show that the river has been laced with toxic pollutants. It is impossible to get the population of salmon up if the pollutants are just going to kill them off again.
3. Hatcheries and funding
- "Lumley says debates over the difference between hatchery and wild fish are leaving their mark in Congress and threatening future funding for hatcheries (a vital lifeline for salmon fisheries throughout the basin and in the ocean)" (OPB FM).
4. Catching and keeping wild fish
- "“Mass marking” is a practice that shapes non-tribal fisheries in the basin. Many state and federal hatcheries mark their fish by removing the adipose fin so that later fishermen can tell which fish they can keep (the hatchery fish) and which ones they should release (the wild ones)" (OPB FM).
5. Killing and predators
- Sea lions, double-crested cormerants and Caspian are all predeators to the wild salmon. These three species, three of mamy, have taken a large bite out of the salmon population.
6. Climate change
- "A warmer climate that melts glaciers and reduces snow pack in the mountains would change water flows and stream temperatures for fish that need cold water in the Columbia Basin tributaries to survive" (OPB FM).
7. Sharing water with Canada
- "The Columbia River Treaty is a major agreement between the U.S. and Canada was originally struck to help manage water storage for flood control and hydropower generation. Canada provides key storage capacity near the headwaters of the Columbia that allow water and dam managers to control water levels throughout the basin" (OPB FM).
8. Taking (some) salmon off the endangered list
- A top priority several tribal representatives have brought up is this issue. The species has been bumped up higher on lists of decreasing wildlife and is now being looked at as a top priority.
9. Full recovery (200 years from now)
- It may take up to 200 years (!) for the river to fully recover Columbia River salmon runs.